"But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD." -- Joshua 24:15b

Friday, February 1, 2013

Showing Grace Along the Way

But Jacob said to him (Esau), "My master, you know that the children are weak. And I must be careful with my flocks and their young ones. If I force them to go too far in one day, all the animals will die. So, my master, you go on ahead of me, your servant. I will follow you slowly and let the animals and children set the speed at which we travel. I will meet you, my master, in Edom." -- Genesis 33:13-14

A note of reflection from Matthew Henry on this passage: "It is an unreasonable thing to tie others to our rate; we may come with comfort, at last, to the same journey's end, though we do not journey together, either in the same path or with the same pace. There may be those with whom we cannot fall in and yet with whom we need not fall out by the way."

I so appreciate the wisdom of this insight. Too often, I expect others to be at the same place I am on my walk Home. I don't like for others to be lagging behind or running ahead of me. But we are not cookie-cutter children of the LORD. His grace is calling each of us to walk to His individually intimate promptings and whispers. And at the same time, His wisdom provides for us the ability to encourage one another on our personal journeys without needing to be at exactly the same pace - yet headed for the same place.

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This Blog's Purpose:

I must keep alive in myself the desire for my true country, which I shall not find till after death; I must never let it get snowed under or turned aside; I must make it the main object of life to press on to that other country and to help others to do the same. -- C. S. Lewis

About Me

I live in a 100+ year-old farmhouse in a little valley (affectionately known as Skunk Hollow) with my husband and three sons - Ben, 20; Caleb, 18; and Eli, 17. Our barnyard residents include twenty chickens; our two goats, Cocoa & Pumpkin; Laffy, a White Pekin Duck; and Betsey the English Spot Bunny. Bert the Parakeet lives in his cage in Eli's room.

A Comment on Comments

I read every one of your comments and am so encouraged by them. But in order to most effectively serve my family and neighbors, I am unable to answer each one personally. Please know, however, that I am so thankful for your kind words.

Scripture to Meditate on:

"So we do not give up. Our physical body is becoming older and weaker, but our spirit inside us is made new every day. We have small troubles for a while now, but they are helping us gain an eternal glory that is much greater than the troubles. We set our eyes not on what we see but on what we cannot see. What we see will last only a short time, but what we cannot see will last forever." -- II Corinthians 4:16-18

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I'm Reading:

The Book of Ecclesiastes (daily devotions)

The Book of I Corinthians (daily devotions)

The Book of Job (current Sunday afternoon Bible study with M.)

In This Mountain by Jan Karon (re-read)

Books Read in 2014

10,000 Things to Praise God For by Jan Dargatz

501 Fun-to-Make Family Crafts by Better Homes & Gardens

A Basket of Herbs - Vol. 3 & 4 by Herb Quarterly

A Basket of Herbs - Vol. 7 & 8 by Herb Quarterly

A Cook's Guide to Growing Herbs, Greens, and Aromatics by Millie Owen

A Homemade Year: The Blessings of Cooking, Crafting and Coming Together by Jerusalem Jackson Greer

A New Song From L'Abri by Betty Carlson

A New Song by Jan Karon (re-read)

A Passion for the Impossible: The Life of Lilias Trotter by Miriam Huffman Rockness (re-read)

A Woman Seeking God: Discover God in the Places of Your Life by Dorothy Kelley Patterson

Amish Proverbs: Words of Wisdom from the Simple Life by Suzanne Woods Fisher

At the Farmers' Market with Kids: Recipes and Projects for Little Hands by Leslie Jonath